Your neighbor, an old friend, or the kid down the street may be the best source for summer fun ideas. Keep a lookout for the next great opportunity to explore something new, discover a quiet park, or make math fun.
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IDEAS AT HOME
Neighborhood Time – Our neighborhood agreed on a common study time (for example one hour after breakfast) so pressure to play was not so strong.
Bell Work - We continue the concept of “bell work” each morning. Simple activities that kids do while mom makes breakfast.
Create a Code – We created a code by giving numbers to letters. We wrote secret notes to each other and put them in secret spy locations only known to note writers.
Quote Book – I wrote down funny things the kids said during the week. Over Sunday dinner I read the quotes and they had to guess who said it. The next week, the kids kept track of the funny things we said – plus their own silly statements!
Chalkboard Quiz - We do math drills on the big chalkboard downstairs. They each have to write the math problem as I say it and then solve it. “What is 7×7?” They like to compete and it is especially fun on a rainy day.
Neverending Story – We choose a silly sentence to begin a story, like “On a green planet in the middle of a frozen galaxy…” Then every family member adds a few new sentences to the story. My kids could go on for hours.
Driveway Division - We do this on the driveway with chalk – all level of math drills between my 2nd grader and 5th grader. I ask what is 7×2 or what is 5+10? They have to write out the problem and solve it. We keep track of who wrote it and solved it the fastest. Fun on the driveway and kids love competition.
LOCAL ADVENTURES
Pond Visits - We visit ponds and look for tadpoles, frogs, fish, etc. We also look for footprints in the mud and try to identify them.
Stories - We look for free story telling at local bookstores.
Play Ball! - We go to baseball games and track the score with the scoreboard.
Weekly Visits - Weekly visits to the library, special bike rides and picnic, and visits to the Farmer’s Market are our summer fun activities.
Farmer Fun - I take my children to the Farmer’s market once a week. I give them money to buy different items. I have them figure out how much money to give the vendor and estimate what their change might be. I also have them talk to the vendors.
ON THE ROAD
Driving – While driving (on vacation especially) we keep a log in the car and record all license plates. The kids learn how to spell states, we talk about how far away they have come and where the state is located. We also talk about what other states “touch” it.
Map Reading – Have a child read a map and tell us how far to the next exit.
Find Home – We bike ride a long distance and then using our sense of direction we find a different way back. Sometimes we do that when driving too. Can the kids get me home from where we are (left, right, can you tell what way we are heading? North, south?)
